BioShock upgrade guide
Take control and evolve yourself.
Combat Gene Tonics
Armored Shell
Reduces the amount of damage you receive, making this a highly-desirable Gene Tonic. Even better, you can get it as early as the Medical Pavilion from a Gatherer's Garden machine for 20 Adam. If you manage to rescue 15 Little Sisters you'll unlock Armored Shell 2 which offers increased shield-like properties.
Wrench Jockey
Dishes out more than three times the brain-bludgeoning power of the standard Wrench - great for melee fans and ammo conservationists. Get this from the Kure-All clinic in Medical Pavilion (look for the secret passageway hidden behind a grate). The Wrench Jockey 2 upgrade is offered to you when you research Big Daddy Bouncers to Level 2.
Static Discharge
Another Tonic for Wrench wielders. If you're struck while scrapping you'll automatically give the enemy an energy-sapping shock for their troubles. You'll find this next to a corpse in the Surgery Foyer, either before of after you deal with Doctor Steinman. Static Discharge 2 is a free upgrade that you get for researching Leadhead Splicers to Level 4.
Wrench Lurker
For stealth fans only - increases the amount of damage inflicted by the Wrench on unaware enemies. As an added bonus it also softens your footsteps. Grab this from Lower Wharf, Neptune's Bounty. For extra sneakiness you can buy Wrench Lurker 2 from a Gatherer's Garden machine later in the game.
Human Inferno
Increases the amount of damage delivered by flame attacks, making it an ideal companion to the Incinerate Plasmid. It also rather handily reduces the amount of damage that you receive from fire and heat. Available from Gatherer's Garden machines (Arcadia), as is the fiery upgrade from Point Prometheus onwards.
Photographer's Eye
Makes photos fill your research bar slightly quicker. You'll find this in the wild, down in the Winery Cellar in Farmer's Market. The upgrade is given to you when you research Big Daddy Rosies to Level 2.
Electric Flesh
An electro-version of Human Inferno. Find it in Fort Frolic, up in the Fleet Hall Theatre's projection booth after finishing Cohen's 'masterpiece'. Electric Flesh 2 can be found in Fontaine's Apartment, Olympus Heights.
Frozen Field
As above, only it affects ice attacks and should be combined with the Winter Blast Plasmid. Get this from the Frozen Tunnel, Fort Frolic (it's found on Finnegan's body). You'll find the upgrade outside the office of Andrew Ryan in Rapture Central Control.
Damage Research
Increases the damage bonuses you earn through research, and therefore essential if you're going to put in all the hard work snapping baddies. Found in the Lower Workshops, Hephaestus. Damage Research 2 boosts damage bonuses even more and is available late in the game from the Mendel Library, Point Prometheus.